Football Top 10: Montreal moves up to No.1 following win over Vanier Cup champs

Sep 12, 2017

They were the top two teams in the first two national polls of the U SPORTS football season and they remain 1-2 this week. Only this time around, the Montreal Carabins move past archrival Laval in the rankings thanks to a 21-16 home win over the reigning Vanier Cup champions in the most anticipated matchup of the young campaign.

Montreal (2-0) received 17 of 18 first-place votes and 161 points from the Football Reporters of Canada panel for a comfortable cushion over the Rouge et Or (2-1), who collected 139 points but failed to register a single No. 1 nod after being a unanimous choice for top spot in each of the first two polls of 2017.

The remaining first-place vote in the new rankings went to the Calgary Dinos (2-0), who remain in third position for the second straight week thanks to a 122-point tally.

The early-season meeting between Laval and Montreal last Saturday at sold-out CEPSUM Stadium definitely lived up to the hype. For the ninth straight head-to-head confrontation dating back to 2014 – including the last three Quebec conference finals – the margin of victory between the two national powerhouses was less than a touchdown. In the win, Carabins quarterback Samuel Caron once again proved that his RSEQ player-of-the-year title from 2016 was no fluke as he racked up 377 yards and one major on 27-of-40 passing against one of the best defences in the country.

In the other top-10 duels from the past weekend, defending Canada West champion Calgary humbled visiting Regina 46-26, while Western held the McMaster offence to 13 first downs in a convincing 29-14 at Hamilton.

NOTES: Sportsnet and TVA Sports are once again the official broadcasters of the U SPORTS football semifinals and final in 2017... The Mitchell Bowl (RSEQ at Canada West) and Uteck Bowl (OUA at AUS) are set for Saturday, Nov. 18, while the ArcelorMittal Dofasco Vanier Cup follows on Saturday, Nov. 25 at 1 p.m. ET at Tim Hortons Field in Hamilton... For all the information on the 53rd Vanier Cup (including tickets) visit vaniercup.com.